Perham Woman Stabbed

A Perham woman is recovering from serious injuries after a violent assault Saturday morning, an attack that likely would have been fatal had a neighbor not intervened and called 911. The Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office and Perham Police Department responded around 10:16 a.m. on Feb. 7 to a report of an assault in progress at a residential address in Perham. Officers arrived to find that suspect Cyrus Lee Olson, 22, had forcibly entered an apartment occupied by a 45-year-old woman, where he actively stabbed and physically assaulted her. The victim’s neighbor witnessed the attack and intervened, stopping the assault before calling emergency responders. The quick-thinking action likely prevented a homicide, authorities said. The victim managed to flee to a nearby friend’s apartment despite her injuries. Perham EMS crews treated her at the scene for multiple stab wounds and other injuries before transporting her to Perham Hospital. She was later airlifted by Lifelink air ambulance to a regional medical center for advanced care. Her condition is listed as serious. Olson was apprehended shortly after police arrived. He is being held at the Otter Tail County Detention Facility pending his initial court appearance on multiple felony charges, including attempted second-degree murder, first-degree burglary, aggravated robbery and second-degree assault.